Upwork feedback

alexzk · ‎03-31-2020

Couldn't find any information about how to send propositions/feedbacks about Upwork itself. So decided to make some ...

For now I will skip financial details, but want to point 2 things:

1. It is not possible to chat.

What I mean - prior you can start to chat with client you must to setup price/time, which means client may immediatly accept it and you done - you must do anything you don't understand. So wouldn't it better to separate chat and hire ? I.e. you can chat prior declaring prices.

2. Related to chat and "connections". Many clients do not understand how things work and each 3 pages contain at least 1 job "I need fast resolve, details in chat, 1 hour for xx proffecional.". Okey .. but as freelancer I'm not ready to pay connects for that.

So those 2 lead to problem that I read job lists for days or even weeks and skip all that till I can find some good task with all initial details I need.

So ...what Upwork could /will do to fix that ?

versailles · ‎03-31-2020

Aleksey Z wrote:

> 1. It is not possible to chat.

Yes it is. When you send a proposal, for sure they can send you an offer right away (that you still have to accept), but they may open a message room as well.

> Okey .. but as freelancer I'm not ready to pay connects for that.

Then don't.

-----------
"Where darkness shines like dazzling light" —William Ashbless

alexzk · ‎03-31-2020

It's trickery. I have to set price like 50000, then say "it is placeholder" until u give me more details, etc...

Why can't you just chat prior?

...and 2nd - half of customers are buisnesses which cannot formulate task exact, i.e. they can't find freelancer + they afraid /NDA/ etc. So many task start with "Need programmer, details in chat after NDA" and just to get details costs connects. Relly? Maybe they want to develop moon lander and need NASA engeneer, who knows.

versailles · ‎03-31-2020

Aleksey Z wrote:

Why can't you just chat prior?

Because this would defeat the purpose of having connects in place. Which is to prevent clients to be flooded with spam. You have no idea, absolutely no idea what some people do to beg for a job. Some clients have told horror stories when they left their website's URL in their job post that had their contact details. Like they were totally flooded with e-mails and calls from people literally begging for the job. Man you have no idea...

The connects system forces you to put some skin in the game.

-----------
"Where darkness shines like dazzling light" —William Ashbless

alexzk · ‎03-31-2020

I separated connects and chat.

Chat is not related to connects. I just got invitation from where I got only 1 "make me happy", so I had to reply with 50000 price ...why ? Why can't I just chat once I got that invite already.

versailles · ‎03-31-2020

Aleksey Z wrote:
I separated connects and chat.

Chat is not related to connects. I just got invitation from where I got only 1 "make me happy", so I had to reply with 50000 price ...why ? Why can't I just chat once I got that invite already.

You can. The first phase of your chat is to send a proposal. You may use it to ask questions. If they want to talk to you, they will open a chat channel.

-----------
"Where darkness shines like dazzling light" —William Ashbless

alexzk · ‎03-31-2020

This does not look like a chat, it asks me for prices, which I must decide knowing nothing. As I said it is all trickery and workarounds. Extra steps.

Also about connects - i didn't say to cancel it. Maybe some HUGE RED font on initial job post where client is warned that "details in chat" will not be responded because freelancers pay for that.

I'm sure currently it is absent. Because I had email request from 5y old client. Then i rejected and he made job on upwork like "details in chat" which was shown to me too. And I explicit sent him email saying freelancers pay for "details in chat" and he was surprised and fixed description.

versailles · ‎03-31-2020

You understand that it doesn't cost any connects when you receive an invitation?

-----------
"Where darkness shines like dazzling light" —William Ashbless

alexzk · ‎03-31-2020

..right ...and what if I want to spend my connects and ask for more info? Once again I need set price which might be invalid depend on what customer will respond.

petra_r · ‎03-31-2020

Aleksey Z wrote:
..right ...and what if I want to spend my connects and ask for more info? Once again I need set price which might be invalid depend on what customer will respond.

So? Just include a phrase such as "My bid is merely a placeholder. Once we have discussed the details, I will give you an updated price"

That's just super-basic freelancing 101.

If that's too complicated, just bid on hourly contracts only.

alexzk · ‎03-31-2020

Yes, I do that many years. But why ? What the reason for ?

Old Elance allowed to chat prior, agree terms and then only make proposals.

feed_my_eyes · ‎03-31-2020

I worked on Elance starting in August 2000, right up until they merged with Upwork. Yes, for awhile there was a message board on each project so that freelancers could ask for clarifications. But this was constantly misused - most freelancers posted messages begging clients to hire them, or posted abuse if they thought that the budget was too low. So, Elance stopped this practice, and for the same reason, I doubt that Upwork will implement it.

For what it's worth, I usually found that if Elance clients posted vague project descriptions, they never answered requests for clarifications on the message boards anyway. And in my experience, such clients are less likely to hire anyone, so I just don't bid if there aren't enough details.

alexzk · ‎03-31-2020

I'm just saying current behavior in that 2 cases is not "intuitive". Upwork gets a lot of money, so can re-think UI a little.

Also Just got 3rd. When we aggreed in chat and user sent back proper priced invite I got new chat room >: and figured 20 mins later I was talking in old one ... have no idea how and why this is happening ...

so confusing.